In accordance with conventional electrophotography technology and techniques, machinery or apparatus is of course presently available for imaging or fabricating microfilm either in a cassette or fiche format, as well as for reading of such microfilm media. However, the apparatus for performing such functions is normally separate and distinct from each other. In other words, one piece or type of apparatus is normally required to serve as the camera/processor for photographing the particular original documents and developing or processing such photographed images so as to form or fabricate the microfilm, while another piece or type of apparatus is normally required for reading or viewing the particular imaged areas or frames of the fabricated microfilm. In fact, as oftentime occurs, the two different types of apparatus are physically situated at two different locations which may be remotely spaced apart from one another by means of a considerable distance. For example, a particular entity desiring to have particular information, data, or sets of documents recorded and preserved upon microfilm, but only possessing microfilm reader apparatus, may contract with a second entity, possessing camera/processor equipment, to in fact fabricate the microfilm so as to contain the particular information, data, documents, or the like which the first entity seeks to have recorded and preserved in microfilm format. The fabricated microfilm may of course subsequently be utilized by the first entity within its reader apparatus for reading or review of the recorded microfilm information, data, documents, or the like. Alternatively, a single business entity may possess both types of microfilm apparatus, that is, the camera/processor apparatus and the reader apparatus, with the various different types of apparatus or pieces of equipment located within different departments or buildings of the single entity which may be, for example, a large corporation, a government agency, or the like.
Consequently, it may readily be appreciated that in the first exemplified instance, considerable monetary expenditures will be entailed by means of the first entity in establishing and maintaining its microfilm records in view of the contract fees it will necessarily have to pay the second entity for the fabrication of the microfilm records. In addition, substantial lapses in time will probably occur between the original generation of the original information, data, documents, or the like and the provision or transmission of such to the contracting second entity, and the return of such information, data, documentation, or the like to the first entity in the completed fabricated microfilm format. Similarly, in connection with the processing of the information, data, documentation, or the like by means of the single entity in accordance with the second exemplified instance wherein the entity possesses both type of microfilm apparatus or equipment, considerable monetary capital expenditures will be necessitated by the requirement of having to purchase at least one piece of apparatus of each type of the microfilm apparatus, that is, at least one camera/processor and at least one microfilm reader, and more accurately, probably at least several pieces of each type of apparatus depending upon the processing time requirements of the company or agency entity, the number of personnel which will be likely to be utilizing the microfilm apparatus, and other similar factors In addition, considerable periods of time may nevertheless be necessarily consumed by means of the various departmental personnel employed to process the original information, data, documentation, and the like so as to fabricate the desired microfilm media.
It is therefore seen to be a desirable objective to have microfilm apparatus which may be dual-functional in that a single piece of apparatus or equipment can photograph original information, data, documentation, or the like, and process such images into completed microfilm media, and subsequently, the same equipment or apparatus may be utilized to view or read such microfilm and the recorded information, data, documentation, or the like imaged thereon. Dual-functional or dual-mode operational microfilm appatatus per se is already known, as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,612,678 issued to Peter Haslam, Alan G. Kendall, and Anthony LaManna, and assigned to XEROX CORPORATION, however, such apparatus is concerned with the viewing or reading of a pre-fabricated microfilm, and the reproduction of enlarged photocopies of the microfilm images. Such apparatus is not intended for or designed to record original information, data, documentation, or the like onto a microfilm media, and/or to subsequently review, view, or read the microfilm images recorded thereon. Still further, it is readily appreciated that such microfilm reading and reproducing apparatus is in fact, in simplistic terms, only an accessory piece of equipment being utilized, in effect, in conjunction with conventional photocopying equipment. The latter, in turn, is seen to comprise a large floor-supported or floor-standing apparatus having the microfilm reader section thereof supported upon one end of the entire piece of equipment. The microfilm reader apparatus is also seen to be of the top-loading type wherein the microfilm is inserted within the apparatus at the upper end thereof. Consequently, it can be further appreciated that the various process steps encompassed within the viewing and reproducing functions in conjunction with the microfilm and the imaged areas recorded thereon cannot be conveniently performed by means of a single operator seated, for example, in front of the viewing screen. Loading of the microfilm into the apparatus will necessitate the operator to initially stand up in front of the apparatus, and similarly for unloading of the microfilm therefrom. Likewise, in connection with the reproduction of the microfilm images onto photocopy paper, it is likely that the operator will encounter difficulty in performing all phases of the photo-reproduction process from the aforenoted seated position.
A need has therefore existed in connection with the foregoing type of conventional apparatus for an electrophotographic microfilm dual-functional camera/processor-reader which is capable of being utilized either as a camera/processor or for imaging and developing information, data, documentation, or the like, onto the microfilm media from original documents placed within the apparatus, or alternatively, as a reader for projecting the imaged cell frames of the microfilm onto a projection screen for viewing by an operator in reviewing the data, information, documentation, or the like, recorded upon the microfilm. Such a dual-functional camera/processor-reader is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,864 issued to Gordon Lysle and Kenneth R. Baur, and assigned to BELL & HOWELL COMPANY, however, the disclosed system is seen to be quite complex in that there are defined, within the system, essentially two separate and distinct optical systems or paths with a rotatable mirror interposed between the two paths so as to, in effect, determine which path is to be utilized as desired depending upon whether or not an image recording or image cell frame viewing process is to be accomplished. The provision of the two separate and distinct optical systems also renders the entire system or apparatus equipment considerably more expensive than might otherwise be necessitated. In a similar manner, the provision of the two separate and distinct optical systems, aside from the rotatable mirror, renders the entire system or apparatus equipment quite expansive so as not to be as compact as might otherwise be able to be accomplished.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved electrophotographic microfilm camera/processor-reader.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved electrophotographic microfilm camera/processor-reader which overcomes the various operational disadvantages of conventional electrophotographic microfilm camera/processor and reader apparatus or equipment.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved electrophotographic microfilm camera/processor-reader which is dual-functional so as to be capable of alternatively photographing and developing original data, information, documentation, or the like, upon image cell frames of the microfilm, and reading or viewing the same upon a projection screen of the apparatus or equipment.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved electrophotographic microfilm camera/processor-reader apparatus which is capable of accomplishing, within a single piece of apparatus or equipment, the photographing and processing/developing of image cell frames of a microfilm media encompassing photographic images of original data, information, documentation, or the like, as well as projection screen viewing of the microfilm image cell frames and the data, information, documentation, or the like contained therein.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved electrophotographic microfilm camera/processor-reader apparatus which is capable of accomplishing, within a single piece of apparatus or equipment, the photographing and processing/developing of image cell frames of a microfilm media encompassing photographic images of original data, information, documentation, or the like, as well as projection screen viewing of the microfilm image cell frames containing the particular data, information, documentation, or the like, by means of a substantially single reflective mirror optical system.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved electrophotographic microfilm camera/processor-reader apparatus which is capable of accomplishing, within a single piece of apparatus or equipment, the photographing and processing/developing of image cell frames of a microfilm media encompassing photographic images of original data, information, documentation, or the like, as well as projection screen viewing of the microfilm image cell frames containing the particular data, information, documentation, or the like, by means of a substantially single reflective mirror optical system whereby the entire apparatus or equipment is rendered quite compact and is able to be manufactured relatively inexpensively.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved electrophotographic microfilm camera/processor-reader apparatus which is sufficiently compact so as to render the same small enough to be capable of serving as a desk or table-top type camera/processor-reader apparatus.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved electrophotographic microfilm camera/processor-reader apparatus which is sufficiently compact so as to render the same small enough to be capable of serving as a desk or table-top type camera/processor-reader apparatus, and wherein all functional equipment and controls of the camera/processor-reader are readily accessible to an operator seated in front of the camera/processor-reader such that the operator can perform all necessary functions and operations attendant the photographing/developing and projection screen viewing of the microfilm media while remaining seated in front of the camera/processor-reader apparatus.